When You Say Nothing At All
by sandlesgirl254
Summary: How could a game of strip poker lead to this? SoNic. Please R&R thanks!


**I do not own any of these characters. A good thing too I might ad. I'm borrowing them and once I'm done I'll give them back to DpB, don't worry.  
****Hope you like it, this is dedicated to all the loyal SoNic shippers over at TalkCSI.**

When You Say Nothing At All

Odd. That one word described what Sofia Curtis was feeling at the moment. Odd that she felt a thrill go up her spine when Nick Stokes smiled that amazing smile at her. Odd that her stomach turned whenever he touched her. Odd thatshe blushed whenever he corrected her on something.

"Whatcha thinkin' Curtis?" Nick's voice broke her thoughts.  
"Things. Why?" she replied. He smirked.  
"Come on, that's not an answer"  
"Okay. I was thinking about someone"  
"Who?" he ased, his curiosity piqued.  
"For me to know"  
"Aww Sofia, please! Here I got an idea. We play cards for it"

She laughed. He was clearly interested in her thoughts. If he knew they were about him however, she had no idea how he'd react. And that was the main reason she held back from telling him. Because of sheer fear.

"Cards. Very original Nick." she said, coming back into reality.  
"Well, when you're under Ecklie vision all day cards is a safe bet"  
"Ooh, bets in the lab? Tsk, tsk." Greg said as he breezed into the break room.  
"Not exactly a bet…" Sofia trailed off.  
"Well, I have a little something to make it go better"  
"This can't be good." Nick said quietly so only Sofia could hear him.  
"What's Greg doing this time?" Sara asked as she came in and put a hand on Greg's shoulder.  
"I was just suggesting that we start a game of..."  
"We don't have all shift Greg." Sara complained.  
"Strip poker!"

Nick let out a huge laugh.

"You've got to be kidding me." he said.  
"Come on Nick, you did want to know who I was thinking about right?" Sofia teased playfully.  
"And Greg and I will join in so you don't feel too alone." Sara said sarcastically. Eventually Nick agreed, and they all sat down around the table.  
"Okay-whoever wins gets to make someone of their choice do something. Got it?" Greg stated. They all nodded and the game began.

It turns out Grissom walked in on a shirtless Nick and Greg, and Sofia in only her bra. (Sara was winning.) The all apologized and got dressed again. Nick and Sofia ended up walking to the locker room together.  
"So Curtis……are you going to tell me who was occupying your thoughts earlier?" Nick asked.  
"Maybe. You didn't actually win"  
"Alright we'll do rock paper scissors shoot. Whoever wins two out of three gets to ask a question and the other has to answer truthfully. Got it"

They quickly played and Nick won. Sofia's heart started racing.

"Alright Nick, shoot. What do you want to know"  
He thought a moment.  
"How are you?"  
He had to be kidding.  
"Fine."  
"No I mean, I know the shooting and all-I just wanted to see how you were doing. You know you can tell me anything"

Could she? It seemed the closer she got with him the more frightened she became. Frightened of becoming hurt, of having her secrets exposed. She sat down on the bench near them. Nick sat next to her and put his hand on her shoulder. Her stomach turned at this simple gesture.

"I just-maybe….." she couldn't find the right words.  
"What's going on?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.  
"I don't know! I just don't know!" she said, her anger rising. She hardly even knew why she was getting angry at a memory of a man who she didn't even shoot. Maybe it was the fact no one had shown her compassion then, and now, abut a year later, it was being brought up.  
"It doesn't matter how I am, because I'm too damn scared I can hardly breathe." Words were coming out of her mouth that she had never expected to. Was she really going to tell him how she felt, right now, in the lab? Was she?

"Why was no one there then? Not even after when you could talk to me about it. And now you say I can talk to you? Over what happened a year ago? What the hell Nick? If you're trying to be sensitive, back then would have been the time to start."  
A couple seconds of silence ensued as Nick processed what she had just said.  
"I didn't say anything because I didn't know if you were ready to talk about it. And I show my concern now because we're better friends. And it wouldn't be awkward to talk about it. Look, if you don't want to talk about it, fine. But can you at least tell me why you're so mad at me"  
"Because you're the one who was occupying my thoughts Nick!" The words were coming out. She hadn't planned on it, but they were out, and she had no idea what they were going to do to her.  
"Maybe you haven't noticed that I blush whenever you're around, that my stomach turns whenever you touch me? Or maybe I'm wrong and it's totally natural to feel that strongly about someone"

She put her head in her hands, hoping that the words she said wouldn't have a negative effect on her. Silent tears rolled down her face, thinking of how stupid she had been to say all of it. Nick's hand that had rested on her shoulder now rubbed her back gently.

"No. You're not wrong." was all he said before he pulled her close to his chest, arms wrapped around her, rubbing her back while she let out all the tears she had held in since the Bell shooting. It was hard for her to see how this had all played out. One moment she was joking with him in strip poker, the next she's in his arms crying and he's stroking her hair like it's the most natural thing in the world. She stopped crying and he tilted her head to look at him. They held eye contact for a moment before he brought his lips to hers. It was a slow, romantic kiss, lasting a couple seconds. When they finally broke apart Nick spoke.  
"My stomach turns every time you touch me too." he laughed shakily. She chuckled, half crying. He might not have said anything about it, but she knew this love was going to last.

So? Did you like it? I love reviews ya know, so submitting one would be nice!  
Thanks!  
-Kate


End file.
